This was my 2nd cruise on Celebrity after many on NCL,RCCL, and a Carnival. I am an experienced cruiser and was traveling with my DH and DD(13). Embarkation was smooth although we got to the port at 11ish in the morning and had about an ... Read More

This was my 2nd cruise on Celebrity after many on NCL,RCCL, and a Carnival. I am an experienced cruiser and was traveling with my DH and DD(13). Embarkation was smooth although we got to the port at 11ish in the morning and had about an hour of lines before getting on the ship. The port terminal was easy to get in and out of as we had a friend drop us off. We did bring a case of bottled water, cans of soda and a bottle of wine with no issues.
I chose this cruise as it was convenient to home and relatively inexpensive- I booked about four months out at a guarantee inside and was assigned my cabin within the week- an inside mid-ship on deck 2(2100). The cabin was fine for three people and our cabin steward Fidel was wonderful. We did have a few toilet issues throughout the week but they were addressed and resolved. Our cabin was kept neat and clean and I had brought an air freshener for the bathroom(smartest thing I packed LOL). Felt very little movement in our cabin and it was mostly quiet- You could hear hallway noise when groups of people were milling about, you could also hear some noise from above but it was very sporadic
The food on the ship ranged from average to very good, I did have an incident the first night in the cosmopolitan dining room, whereas a piece of a broken porcelain plate ended up in my green beans, I understand accidents happen and I was presented with an apology from the chef and a plate of strawberries but it ruined my dinner that first night and made me very wary of my meals for the rest of the cruise. While I appreciated the effort it really didn't comfort me from the experience. Had that happened in a restaurant on land I would never have frequented the establishment again, but since it was the first night I had no choice but to try again and luckily the rest of the time there were no more incidents. The ocean-view buffet was fine with a decent selection you just have to find where the food you prefer is located( a quick lap around, before getting your food). Seating could be difficult but I would luck out towards towards the back, and outside in the back of deck 10 was where I liked to have my coffee in the morning.
Entertainment was hit or miss...timing could be difficult as activities overlapped. I really enjoyed the rooftop terrace where they showed movies but on the last sea day when they were showing a movie I had wanted to watch(Snatched) the screen broke and they were fixing it while the movie was showing so I could not enjoy it(I did leave, so I do not know if they ever fixed the issue) Chairs could be hard to find and the pool deck got very crowded. We lucked out and had nice weather the whole trip. One nice thing we got was to go on the front of the ship(the helipad) when we left New York and again when we left Bermuda. They gave us cold towels and a drink.
Service was fine, no complaints there.
We explored the island on our own buying a two day bus and ferry pass, the best way to explore on your own time table. We visited the Crystal Caves, Horseshoe Bay and St. Georges. We also went on a Glass Bottom Nighttime Bermuda Triangle Boat Ride. There is a building right off the pier where you can book all sorts of excursions, no hassle and it was a very enjoyable trip.
My daughter did go to the teen club for a few activities but any child over 13 had the freedom to come and go as they wished so she only partook in those activities that interested her. They delivered a card listing the daily activities to our room so she could decide what she wanted to do.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and relaxing vacation. Read Less

My husband and I sailed on the Celebrity Summit recently. We enjoy sailing to Bermuda out of New Jersey as a no fly cruise. Boarding in Bayonne went smoothly. Except for the fact that many of the staff at the location do not seem clear ... Read More

My husband and I sailed on the Celebrity Summit recently. We enjoy sailing to Bermuda out of New Jersey as a no fly cruise. Boarding in Bayonne went smoothly. Except for the fact that many of the staff at the location do not seem clear on directing the passengers. We were suite guests, and Elite Plus, but the agent directed us to the general boarding line. No big deal as we were early and no crowds were on of the lines. We then got our sea pass cards and took our customary boarding pictures. We also were able to make our specialty dinner reservations in the terminal. We entered the ship pretty early. The Michael's club concierge escorted the suite guests on board into Michael's club around 11:00. We had our customary champagne while boarding.
The ship albeit not the newest, is very well maintained and immaculate. It is small compared to the Solstice class ships and very easy to navigate. We had lunch at Luminae. We used to enjoy the crepes at Bistro on Five- but it is now a sushi restaurant- and not to our liking. The food in Luminae wasn't great. My husband was served a rare bacon sandwich which he immediately sent back. Yuk. We then proceeded to our cabin- an S1 beautiful cabin- next to the penthouse with a wonderful huge bathroom with both a shower and a bathtub. Dual sinks and all Marble- Wonderful stateroom. Our butler Peter introduced himself as did our stateroom attendant. Our luggage arrived quickly and we unpacked and got settled in our suite. In the afternoon, we walked around the ship. We really enjoy the adult pool Unfortunately, Celebrity eliminated many of the lounge chairs and replaced them with tables and chairs- not a good idea as this area is in high demand and always crowded-so lounge chairs currently and not at all adequate. You have to get to the the adult pool by 7:00 AM on sea days to secure a lounge chair. The regular pool was mobbed with about 500 noisy wild children-and crying babies. Not relaxing at all. We had our usual crowded muster station drill that afternoon- which was really useless as you couldn't see anything as people were crowded into many areas blocking any real views. Should be shown on large screens-perhaps in the terminals and on the TV. We mostly wanted this to be a relaxing cruise and spent most of our time on board. We did go by ferry to Hamilton one morning- because of the heat and humidity didn't even go to the beach this trip-but enjoyed the adult area this cruise.
The staff was excellent- always a smile on most employees anxious to serve. We especially liked Norbert- a bartender, cafe al bacio employee and a Michael's club bartender. He was great What a hard worker-always a smile. We love Qsine and Tuscan grill and dined in each twice. Lumanie also had many crying young babies making what should have been a relaxing dining experience not that at all. Parents should have taken the children out of the restaurant when they started screaming and walking all around- but didn't. The food was disappointing but fortunately, we were also able to order from the regular dining room menu which we did the nights we dined in Lumanie.
The entertainment was poor- the shows were so poorly choreographed. Why they do not have real entertainment as does Royal is beyond me. But we didn't sail for the entertainment alone- The martini bar as always was great- the bartenders were excellent and the drinks matched. I used the hair salon and the hairdresser was very good and all alone- one hairdresser on a cruise ship was not adequate. Fortunately, canyon ranch allows you to make appointments in advance via telephone so I was set. We will continue to sail on Celebrity Ships, but will stick to the Solstice class ships- I think that this cruise will be our last Bermuda cruise- we will consider other options for our August cruise in the future. Read Less

I sailed the Celebrity Summit 8/13-8/20 with my girlfriend with no prior cruising experience and not exactly sure what to expect, but was completely blown away but the staff and service on the Summitt. From Captain Alex and Cruise ... Read More

I sailed the Celebrity Summit 8/13-8/20 with my girlfriend with no prior cruising experience and not exactly sure what to expect, but was completely blown away but the staff and service on the Summitt. From Captain Alex and Cruise Director Patrick keeping us up to date during their morning announcements, to the PHENOMENAL staff in the Blu Restaurant (AquaClass exclusive), to the friendly room service staff that always asked you how your day was, I simply loved every second of my trip. Favorite bars include the Rendez-Vous Lounge on the 4th floor for nightly live music and dancing as well as the beautiful Sunset Bar at the back of the ship on the 10th floor (Jaime is one of the best bartenders I've ever been served by!). Bring a camera for some stunning late night shots of the sunset over the Atlantic.
If you can, I would avoid the Oceanview Cafe (buffet) simply because they serve, more or less, the same stuff every day and it gets really cluttered and the amount of elderly sailers keeps the lines dragging. If you are a pool goer - get there early! The chairs get claimed before 11 AM and the people who claim them don't leave all day. The nightly shows in the theatre were very good as well. Jesse Hamilton, Jr. is a must see if you can catch him.
As a bit of advice - definitely go for the drink package and prepaid tips if you get 2 selections with your room type. If you are a shopper, wait until Saturday morning (last day at sea) for a MASSIVE blowout sale.
Getting on and off the ship wasn't too much trouble while in Bermuda, just remember to bring a photo ID and your SeaPass card.
Would highly recommend this vacation for new or experienced cruisers looking for a luxury-feel, high-class serviced vacation, at roughly the same cost you would pay for MUCH less with NCL. Read Less

My wife and I cruise with Celebrity a few times a year and decided to make this a family escape with one of our sons, his wife and three children, 10, 10 and 5. We chose Summit because Cape Liberty is less than two hours from our homes ... Read More

My wife and I cruise with Celebrity a few times a year and decided to make this a family escape with one of our sons, his wife and three children, 10, 10 and 5. We chose Summit because Cape Liberty is less than two hours from our homes avoiding the joys of air travel.
We met at Parkway Parking, a satellite facility very close to the port. It was convenient, efficient, the staff was excellent and it was more economical. After a five minute free shuttle ride to the cruise terminal our check-in and boarding went smoothly. From arrival to boarding took thirty minutes, including the briefing for children, ten minutes. As always, Oceanview Cafe was crowded but we squeezed our group of seven around a table and had a bite to eat. Afterwards we took the kids for a walk around the ship. As expected, they were amazed.
Our bags were delivered and our cabins were ready fairly quickly. The Safety Drill was as it always, barely bearable but absolutely necessary. Next, up to deck 11 for the sailaway. Passing under the Verrazano for the first time was an awesome experience for our family.
This was an unusual cruise for my wife and me. For the last few years we have sailed "off season." There were many more children and more "first-timers" on board this cruise. It felt different but there were no negative issues. As we looked back at the end of the cruise we could not recall a single incident related to the children on board. There were a few grumpy old men, as is expected.
The entire crew were extremely friendly and especially attentive to the children. The waiter and his assistant made sure they got their food quickly and kept them supplied with beverages. The bartender at the Elite Cocktail Hour made sure they ALWAYS had a Shirley Temple in front of them (different every night). Our room steward always slipped the kids extra chocolates.
We have made this trip to Bermuda, on this ship before and everything was consistent as expected, by Celebrity.
Bermuda was lovely. It gets more commercial every time we return.
The crew, from Captain Alex to the pool butlers were superb. They are why we sail Celebrity and will continue to book with them. Read Less

Having previously been to Bermuda by plane several times, me and DH decided to cruise with four friends this time. Captain Alex perfectly kept us out of rough seas being created by TS/Hurricane Gert. Stayed in Aqua 1, cabin 1138. Loved ... Read More

Having previously been to Bermuda by plane several times, me and DH decided to cruise with four friends this time. Captain Alex perfectly kept us out of rough seas being created by TS/Hurricane Gert. Stayed in Aqua 1, cabin 1138. Loved the cabin and Blu. Cabin in good shape. Plenty of storage. Cabin Steward, Blu staff, and Carlos in Tuscan Grille all provided exceptional service. Embarkation was very smooth. Disembarkation not as much. Lots of guessing on our part to figure out where to go, etc. But in spite of that, we were through customs in about 30 minutes from the time our group was called. No complaints about entertainment. Comedians, singers, magician, dancers, violinist duo, and Patrick, cruise director, were all.really good. DH loved Persian Gardens. Solarium was very nice. Outdoor pool was crowded, with too many little kids in the hot tubs. Food was good to great. Bar service good too. We had premium drink package. A word of advice for those new to using the drink packages: get to know the liqours included in your package and be sure to ask for your liquor of choice by name. A simple request for a Bloody Mary means you'll get the cheap bar vodka. So, be sure to ask for a Grey Goose (or your package's vodka) Bloody Mary. Ship was in pretty good condition. Needs some refreshing in some of the public areas.
Overall, we give the cruise a 4.50-5.0 rating. Good value for money. Read Less

The cruise started with bad test in my mouth. When we arrived at the ship, we dropped our carry on and want to the excursion desk with questions. The excursion desk agent was very unhelpful when I asked too many(?) questions about the ... Read More

The cruise started with bad test in my mouth. When we arrived at the ship, we dropped our carry on and want to the excursion desk with questions. The excursion desk agent was very unhelpful when I asked too many(?) questions about the programs. Not only unhelpful, he brushed me off to go to next day’s information session. Then he went to behind the partition said, “Oh my god” so loud my sister and I was shocked.
We were on “Museum and Crystal Cave” excursion trip. The tour bus stopped at the St. George’s town. The tour bus left us in St. George and took off to the next destination. We didn’t have no money and no means of communication with cruise staff. We had to find our own way to go to the Crystal Cave with help of St. George’s police woman. The police found another cruise company’s tour bus to take us to the Crystal cave. The excursion cost us $142.00 per person. That was unacceptable behavior and all we’ve got was “Sorry”.
The ship was old and had unpleasant odor everywhere in the ship. Especially in the restroom. The food was really really bad. The buffet menu did not change much. They had curry every night and same breakfast every morning!
I purchased water packet that cost me $132.00 for a week and expected to have my Evian and Perrier water through the cruise but many times they did not have them. So, I had to settle with no name brand. If I am not getting what I wanted, what was the point purchasing the water packet?
I was on several cruises before with different cruise lines but NEVER had this type of experience.
I would not use Celebrity line ever again!!! Read Less

This was a last minute cruise for our anniversary. Last time we cruised on Celebrity was back in 2004. We were somewhat underwhelmed going to Bermuda on the Mercury and haven't been back on Celebrity since. Our choices for this cruise were ... Read More

This was a last minute cruise for our anniversary. Last time we cruised on Celebrity was back in 2004. We were somewhat underwhelmed going to Bermuda on the Mercury and haven't been back on Celebrity since. Our choices for this cruise were the Celebrity Summit or the Norwegian Breakaway. Since 2004 we have cruised several times on Norwegian and never had a problem. We like that they know that you're on vacation and they try to make your cruise as effortless as possible. This time we chose the Summit because we wanted a smaller ship.Though smaller and dated the Summit was in very good shape.
Embarkation went well, no problems and dock personnel were very professional. We were greeted by our Concierge, Moby who invited us to lunch at the Cosmopolitan Restaurant the main dining area of the ship. After, we went to our room (see below) and met with Gusite our cabin steward who was phenomenal. We later learned he was a 17 year veteran of Celebrity.
The common areas were always clean. The bars and lounges were more than satisfactory. The service on board the Summit was probably the best I have had on any of my cruises. The majority of the staff that I encountered made you feel welcomed and valued. The buffet was OK but the seats need to be replaced as you would sink in when sitting.
The entertainment was good with two comedians, a magician, a singer and the Summit dancers performing three shows. They also had a live band not canned music which made the performances even better.
Now, the annoying stuff:
1- The dining room, two couples are waiting to get in.for breakfast or lunch. Couple 1- both wearing sneakers, shorts, male with a tee shirt female with a halter top. They get seated. Couple #2- both wearing sneakers, shorts, female with a tee shirt. The male has a tank top. They are denied entry because the male has the audacity to wear a tank top to breakfast/lunch while on vacation. Meanwhile halter tops are allowed(which as far as I'm concerned is fine} Why the double standard? Why bother the vacationing guest anyway.
2- The spa- Got a massage and the wife got a exfoliate treatment. Plus they up sell the wife on products. Cost over $600. Now to use the steam room or sauna we have to pay an additional charge despite just spending over $600. We couldn't even get a one day pass much less a pass for multiple days. Other cruises we were on offered the sauna and steam room as complimentary amenities.
3- The casino- We went to the casino every day to play roulette. Every day we dropped over $100. While playing a lady announces that everyone should get a free raffle ticket to win a chance of getting into a slot machine tournament. When the lady passes me I ask her for two tickets one for me and one for my wife. She said she could not give us tickets since we were on a gaming table. Hold it, I'm giving you over $100 per day by gambling on the gaming table but I can't participate in the free raffle? The guy standing there watching what's going on and not spending a dime gets a chance to participate in the slot tournament but a paying person can't? BTW she was the only rude employee I encountered on the ship.
The Celebrity Summit has so much that it does right and then they annoy you with petty stuff that takes away from your experience. The phenomenal service goes down the drain when they nit pick at the guest. Needless to say we regretted going on the Summit and should have stayed with Norwegian. Read Less

We enjoyed our cruise but will not choose an Aquaclass cabin on future sailings.
Our cabin was 1117, deck 11. No overhang and minimal noise from deck 12. We enjoyed the location of the cabin.
As mentioned in other reviews, some of ... Read More

We enjoyed our cruise but will not choose an Aquaclass cabin on future sailings.
Our cabin was 1117, deck 11. No overhang and minimal noise from deck 12. We enjoyed the location of the cabin.
As mentioned in other reviews, some of the cabins in the Summit are quite tired. In cabin 1117, we did see rust, stains, deficient A/C and broken shower seals. The cabin had a very unpleasant smell.
The Persian Gardens are not worth the extra money in our opinion. The thalassotherapy pool is not part of the Persian Gardens. It is a public pool in a solarium, and rather crowded.
Blu was a wonderful experience, but not sufficient to rebook an Aquaclass cabin on the Summit.
Our favorite spot on the entire ship is Al Bacio. The Bombay Chai lattée is made perfectly, as any of the coffees we sampled throughout the cruise.
Bermuda: we loved Bermuda. Beautiful experience that we will not hesitate to redo. Read Less

Being this was my first time on a cruise, I was impressed. The staff is excellent and goes above and beyond for everything. They made sure we were happy at all times. The maintenance service for the stateroom was great. The ship was ... Read More

Being this was my first time on a cruise, I was impressed. The staff is excellent and goes above and beyond for everything. They made sure we were happy at all times. The maintenance service for the stateroom was great. The ship was relatively small (comparing our ship to the Norwegian Breakaway that was docked next to us in Bermuda). It is due for some renovations as you can tell on the walls and floors. I would suggest this cruise for an older person, rather than young adults.
The dining service was accommodating. The buffet has plenty of selections including stations such as pizza, pasta, cultural food, and freshly cooked meat & seafood. The dessert is relatively bland and lacks sugar. If you do not have a beverage package, drinks can be pricey. A pina colada with no liquor in it costs roughly $7. A bottle of water costs $3. I WOULD SUGGEST PACKING A CASE OF WATER. For someone who does not like to drink tap water, bottled water is expensive throughout the entire cruise. The Cosmopolitan was a great restaurant that was included in our package. Excellent choices and great tasting food, compared to the Oceanview Cafe. We did not eat at the specialty dining restaurants.
Activities on the boat were scattered throughout the day. Each morning they provide you with a daily schedule for the entire day of activities, concerts, movies and theatrical productions. I would definitely suggest attending the performances at the theatre. The singers and dancers were wonderful to watch. They have such amazing talent! I would also suggest not buying souvenirs on the boat first thing, but to wait until the last full day of the cruise. Great prices on last minute things that you may have forgotten on the island.
Lastly, the ports are such a pain! You will need to have your SeaPass card out when you are getting off the boat to the island, as well as when you come back onto the boat. Also, do not forget your photo ID to get back on. At times, there were lines to get back onto the boat, due to passing through security every time. In my opinion, some of the shore excursions listed through the cruise are not worth it at all. Definitely free-style the Crystal caves. My suggestion is to buy a combination day pass for the ferry/bus for $19 per person and figure out your way with a map (It is not hard). Also, I would not recommend doing both of the caves. If you do the Crystal Cave, it is all you need to see. The Fantasy Cave was nothing different than the Crystal Cave. I also did the longest shore excursion provided (7 hours) called the Hidden Gems and it was worth it for $199 per person. It provided us the tour guide, transportation, two caves, cliff jumping, snorkeling, lunch & ice cream. Transportation from the dockyard to this location, which is mainly on the other side of the island took about an hour and could be very costly, using a taxi.
REMINDER: Bring bottled water with you onto the boat. Read Less

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